Belgium envoy denies EU cornering COVID-19 vaccine supply

Belgian Ambassador Michel Goffin on Monday denied that the European Union is cornering the supply of COVID-19 vaccines amid the delay in the delivery of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras,” Goffin said the delay in the delivery of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, which was supposed to arrive last week, has no connection with the EU’s new export control regulation.

“For the Philippines and many other countries, this export license will not apply for the COVAX Initiative which is very relevant to the Philippines because the first Pfizer vaccine will arrive very soon under the COVAX Initiative,” Goffin said.

The Belgian government earlier disclosed a new procedure that pharmaceutical firms will have to take when requesting a license to export COVID-19 vaccines outside of the EU.

According to the Belgian government, securing an export license will enhance transparency in vaccine delivery and will be required until March 31, 2021.

Goffin said the delivery of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines will not be affected by the new regulation as this was from the COVAX Initiative.

The COVAX initiative is a global collaboration of manufacturers and experts that seeks to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.

COVAX is co-led by GAVI vaccines alliance, the World Health Organization, and the CEPI Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. It aims to deliver two billion doses of effective, approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.

However, Goffin said COVID-19 vaccines that will be bought from Pfizer outside the COVAX Initiative will undergo the export control regulation.

“It’s the nature of Belgium and the European Union to have as many countries having access to vaccines because this is a worldwide crisis and we have to address it globally. I can assure you that the European Union, Belgium, are really ready to help countries, including the Philippines, to get out of this mess,” he said.

Belgium is the home of the production facilities of some of the world’s most renowned pharmaceutical companies, including those manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines like Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson Janssen. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/DVM, GMA News